What are the different wireless standards?
A. Currently there are four wireless systems in use, all based on what is called the 802.11 standard. 802.11b is the oldest and most common standard. 802.11g is a the most common standard in use right now, providing faster connections and is backwards compatible with 802.11b. 802.11g can also yield slightly longer range under most circumstances. Many hotspots can also support 802.11g, and all 802.11g clients can use 802.11b. 802.11a is another standard. It operates on a different frequency than the other two standards, and has the shortest range of all. Almost all 802.11a clients can use the other two standards. 802.11a is used mostly in corporate environments, and does not penetrate walls very well.
